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A great story out of a bad time

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Last week 10 out of 11 Green Berets were on hand in Ft. Bragg NC to receive Silver Stars. The Silver Star is a very high award to recognize valor and unlike the Bronze Star which can now be given for service, the Silver Star is only presented when valorous actions happen in combat. To have 11 surviving members of a 12 man A-team receive it is quite extraordinary and I think the significance of that fact is lost on the American public. To have one or two receive the Silver Star out of a team is more common becuase usually one or two may step up and perform heroically while the others are doing things like treating wounded, calling in air support, etc.

Lord knows the the Green Beret community largely goes unrecognized for their deeds and heroic efforts, so for this to also happen with a Green Beret unit is a big deal also. They are unsung heroes who do their jobs and move on. The battle itself was quite remarkable in one aspect, and in another it was a situation that I had not seen a hundred times over. Our soldiers (in Afghanistan) are placed in these few numbers all the time and always have the risk of facing a huge and determined enemy. The only difference is if the enemy is ready to attack that day.

These 11 men are true warriors and exemplify what sets us apart from any other country. These are normal everyday Americans, who are Fathers, Brothers, Uncles, Sons, best friends, etc. and they are guys who have volunteered at least 3 times in their lives. For the Army, for the Airborne, and for the Special Forces. They love their families and friends, but love their country and brothers in arms in a way that nobody can break.